Ali Gul Haidari was a platoon sergeant in one of the Afghan Army’s most elite commando units partnering with U.S. Army Special Forces troops for missions to retake district centers from the Taliban in north and eastern Afghanistan.

Haidari and his Afghan teammates blended in with their U.S. counterparts “down to the ballcaps and Oakleys,” a still-serving Special Forces officer said.

When the U.S. military pulled out of Afghanistan in 2021, Haidari was left behind, despite the target on his back as a known supporter of American troops. He was captured and tortured by the Taliban for 40 days within months after the U.S. pullout.

Following release, he fled with his wife and young daughter to a neighboring country, but was ultimately arrested and deported back to Afghanistan.

Last year, me

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